The embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to a platform, system and method for converting media using a digital cutting and creasing device.
An X-theta cutter is similar to a pen plotter with the exception that a cutting blade is used instead of a pen. A sheet of media, such as vinyl, paper, or other material, is moved back and forth in the process direction by a knurled roll/idler combination. Movement in the cross process direction is accomplished by moving the cutting blade via a carriage. Backing on the opposite side of the sheet from the cutting blade is typically formed from a polytetrafluoroethylene (ptfe) strip or other soft sacrificial material on top of a flat sheet-metal cutting surface. Without that sacrificial ptfe layer, the cutting blade would contact the sheet metal cutting surface when cutting all the way through the media, thereby damaging or at least dulling and reducing the life of the cutting blade. The strip abrades with use and needs to be replaced quite frequently. One solution to this problem is to temporarily attach a plastic backing sheet to the media that will be cut. However, this is a time consuming process, requires some skill on the part of the operator, and would add additional material for the cutting knife to come in contact with, causing additional loss of cutting knife life. In addition, a plastic backing sheet would also seriously compromise the auto feeding capability of the digital cutter.
Current plotter based media cutters are capable of cutting and/or marking a sheet of media. However, if an operator wants to crease a sheet of media to facilitate the folding needed to form a media structure, a more expensive X-Y cutting table is required. The cutting surface on an X-Y cutting table is usually a medium density elastomer, which affords sufficient compliance such that a creasing tool can plastically deform the sheet into the cutting surface, thereby forming a crease.
It would be useful to develop a plotter-type system that is capable of both cutting and creasing media without requiring the use of a sacrificial strip or a backing sheet during the cutting process.